Through a Curator's Lens

Circe Henestrosa, a fashion curator and the head of the School of Fashion at Lasalle College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, merges her personal connection with artist Frida Kahlo with her extensive curatorial experience to explore intersecting themes of identity, disability and cultural heritage

- Nafeesa Saini

While Mexican painter Frida Kahlo is widely recognised for her distinctive appearance, characterised by her iconic unibrow, bold red lips and, often, elaborate Tehuana dresses paired with flowers in her hair, many may not fully grasp the depth of her artistic oeuvre or her suffering that shaped her life and work.

This is why exhibitions such as Laid Bare: Frida’s Inner World hold such significance. Held at the ArtScience Museum from May to September this year, it offered an intimate exploration of Kahlo’s life and her remarkable resilience in transforming a lifetime of chronic pain into artistic expression. It also delved into the often‑overlooked narrative of her complex medical history, showcasing a collection of documents, photographs and contemporary artworks, providing a deeper understanding of how her experiences influenced her work and identity.

Bringing a unique perspective to this exhibition was its co‑curator Circe Henestrosa—fashion curator; head of the School of Fashion at Lasalle College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore; and a Kahlo expert. Her deep connection to Kahlo stems from her childhood in Mexico City, where she grew up hearing stories of the artist. Her family’s ties to Kahlo run even deeper: her great‑uncle Andres Henestrosa and great‑aunt Alfa Rios were part of the circle of intellectuals surrounding Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, in the 1930s and ’40s.